The Lakeland Social Security disability attorneys at Kaylor, Kaylor and Leto discuss the appeals process for Social Security

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has four levels of making decisions for disability claims. These levels are:

  • The initial application stage
  • The reconsideration decision
  • The hearing before a judge, called the Administrative Law Judge
  • The review by the Appeals Council

If you are still denied at the end of this process, we may have to file your case in federal court. Your Lakeland Social Security disability attorney will tell you there are strict deadlines for filing your appeals, and usually that deadline is 60 days. Please be careful not to let your time run out on your appeal. Since the SSA assumes you would receive your letter of decision 5 days after they send it, they actually allow five more days for appeals, so in fact, you usually have 65 days. However, try to file your appeal as soon as possible and don’t wait until the last minute. If there is any doubt as to when you sent your appeal, the agency will use the date you sent it as the effective date according to the postmark. Try to keep your envelopes with the postmarks on them, because you may have to prove you did not receive your notice timely. Did you recently apply for Social Security benefits? Did SSA deny your initial application, stating that you do not qualify for Social Security disability insurance or SSI? Contact the Lakeland Social Security disability attorneys at the Law Offices of Kaylor, Kaylor and Leto for an initial consultation. Our motto is that “We offer personal service, and personal care, and we will use our legal expertise to get you the Social Security benefits you rightfully deserve.”